Root
by ice illuser
Summary: Shinigami the balancers, Quincys the destroyers, Vaizards the outcasts, Arrancars the enemies, and Humans, the root of them all.


Disclaimer: If I owned Bleach, an Orihime/Ishida moment probably would have happened by now (or Zaraki/Unohana….), but since it hasn't you can safely assume I don't own it.

A/N: I was just thinking about how different all the types of fighters in Bleach are, so my weird rambling musings eventually led me to this. Hope you like it!

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What does it mean to be a Shinigami?

It means to lead souls to the Soul Society, and to cleanse the Hollows of their sins. At times it also means driving a Hollow to the gates of Hell.

It meant undergoing extensive training at the Shinigami Academy in kidou, hakuda, hoho, and zanjutsu. It meant coaxing the spirit of your zanpaktou to appear and to cooperate with you. It meant going through every single type of excruciating test at the end, and anxiously hoping for a seated position in any division.

It means, (only if you're in the 11th division) living for the next fight and not taking the pansy way out. It means (if you're in the 4th division), taking care of everyone, even if they never bother to say a thanks.

It means moving beyond your former life as a human, harnessing your inner power, and protecting those in the living world.

It means being the protectors and balancers of the world.

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What does it mean to be a Quincy?

It meant to hunt and kill hollows, as revenge for the ones you've lost. After the Quincy-Shinigami War, it means to be the first responders to hollow attacks until the Shinigami arrive.

It means training everyday under a teacher, learning to master the Quincy Cross, and hoping to soon receive the Quincy pentagram. It means learning the ancient Quincy techniques that few have every mastered, and utilizing Quincy equipment when all else fails.

It means juggling a regular life with the life of a Quincy, because killing Hollows doesn't pay any money. It means holding onto the belief that you're needed, or else if that belief was lost, you would no longer see the point.

It means drawing on the power around you, to both destroy Hollows, and to prove to the Shinigami that they still have competition in some form.

It means being the destroyers and unbalancers of the world, because someone has to be it.

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What does it mean to be a Vaizard?

It means fighting for you own cause, because no one else is on your side. It also occasionally means recruiting others to your cause, because really, the more the merrier.

It means beating the twisted Hollow version of yourself into a grudging state of submission. It means being trained by the more experienced Vaizards to control the Hollow inside and to channel it into your own power.

It means enjoying the comforts of the human world, be it music, manga, or even hentai, because just because you're banished from Soul Society doesn't mean you can't have fun. In fact, you party even harder just to spite them all.

It means drawing both on your own powers, and your Hollow self, to pull on the mask so that you can fight for your cause. It means protecting your fellow Vaizards, because all of you always watch each other's backs.

It means being the outcast, having been banished from Soul Society for gaining the forbidden power, and rejected by Hollows for once being a shinigami. It means being a paradox by power.

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What does it mean to be an Arrancar?

It means fighting and killing the Shinigami for Aizen-sama. It also means sometimes gathering those with useful abilities when Aizen-sama asks.

It means going through years as a hollow to finally become a Vasto lorde. It means undergoing a painful transformation from the Orb of Distortion, ripping off the mask of a hollow to gain the powers of a shinigami. It means clawing your way through the ranks, waiting to one day become one of the favored Espada.

It means (if you are an Espada or Numero) wandering around Las Noches, waiting for a fight or mission to come up. It means (only if you're a Privaron) wandering around just itching for a fight. It means maybe avoiding Ichimaru and Tousen, because while you trust Aizen-sama's judgement, there's something creepy about Ichimaru and longwinded about Tousen.

It means drawing on your innate powers as a Hollow, and if the situation gets serious, releasing your zanpaktou to become your true form. It means slashing your way through all the Shinigami, so that Aizen-sama may realize his dream.

It means being the enemy of all, and being controlled by Aizen-sama whether willingly or not. It means fighting because of ambition.

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What does it mean to be human?

It means being protected by both the Shinigami and the Quincys, observed and perhaps also protected by the Vaizards, and killed by the Arrancar.

It means being the root of them all.

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A/N: So…how was it? Very drabbly, I know. Please review!


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